Projector Reviews

Full-On/Full-Off Contrast Ratio—16,720:1; ANSI Contrast Ratio—317:1

Measured Resolution with the Leader LT-446:
480: 480 (per picture height)
720p: 720 (pph)
1080i: 1,080 (pph)

DC Restoration (poor, average, good, excellent): Excellent

Color Decoder (poor, average, good, excellent): Excellent

Measured Color Points—Wide Color Space:
Red Color Point: x=0.678, y=0.319
Green Color Point: x=0.299, y=0.681
Blue Color Point: x=0.139, y=0.056

Measured Color Points—Normal Color Space:
Red Color Point: x=0.651, y=0.347
Green Color Point: x=0.320, y=0.651
Blue Color Point: x=0.148, y=0.088

The top chart shows the Sony VPL-VW60's gray scale relative to its color temperature at various levels of intensity, or brightness (20 IRE is dark gray; 100 IRE is bright white). The gray scale as set by the factory, in the Low color-temperature mode and the Cinema picture mode, measures slightly cool with dark images and slightly warm with brighter images. After making adjustments using the Photo Research PR-650, the gray scale measures closer to D6500, the accurate color temperature, across the entire range. The color temperature itself is not much different after calibration, but there is a more accurate amount of green in the image.

The bottom chart shows the gray scale (or color temperature) relative to the color points of the display's red, green, and blue liquid crystal (SXRD) panels. These are off those specified by SMPTE. In the Wide color-space mode, red is oversaturated and very slightly purplish-red. Green is very oversaturated. Blue is slightly oversaturated and very slightly greenish-blue. In the Normal color-space mode, red is slightly oversaturated and very slightly reddish-orange. Green is oversaturated and slightly yellowish-green. Blue is now slightly more greenish-blue. With calibration using RCP, the color points could be dialed in to be pretty much accurate. These measurements were omitted for space.

After calibration, and using a full-field 100-IRE white (16.72 foot-lamberts) and a full-field 0-IRE black (0.001 ft-L), the contrast ratio was 16,720:1. Using a 16-box checkerboard pattern (ANSI contrast), the contrast ratio was 317:1. The best contrast ratio was achieved in the High Lamp mode and the Auto 1 iris mode. This was also the brightest image and the one with the best black level. With the auto iris turned off or in manual mode, the contrast ratio was between 2,800:1 and 3,300:1, depending on mode.—GM